Reducing the environmental footprint by 50 percent, and expanding life expectancy of 1 billion people in 2030 is the agenda of Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. (APC) in its effort to revitalize its local operations.

APC Group president Koichi Ozaki said the food conglomerate is committed to the sustainability project dubbed Ajinomoto Shared Value (ASV).

“Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. recognizes the responsibility of how we impact the environment. Our ASV signifies our role is beyond providing Filipinos with key products that enhance the taste in our food — it highlights our commitment to environmental stewardship,” Ozaki shared.

In his keynote speech, APC Group chief sustainability Officer Ernie Carlos highlighted the company’s key sustainability initiatives, showcasing the significant progress made since their activation.

Through its partnership with ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions, the electricity requirements of APC factories — APF Bulacan and APF Cebu, are now being powered by 100 percent renewable energy, significantly lowering their Scope 2 carbon emissions which prevents around 5,000 metric tons COe emissions per year.

In collaboration with FAST Logistics and MOBER Philippines, the APC Group is making strides in green logistics with one 100 percent electric tractor head with a 40-footer container van for warehouse transfers and a 100 percent electric 4-wheeler van for product deliveries.

Beyond renewable energy, Ozaki said the APC Group is actively addressing food loss and industrial waste, which includes donating edible food waste to food advocacy group Scholars of Sustenance, upcycling residual food waste into animal feeds, transitioning to sustainable packaging, and repurposing single-use plastics through the SariCycle program.

Double-digit growth

Meanwhile, Ozaki said the APC Group sustained a double-digit growth this year but did not divulge the numbers.

“We are constantly having more than double-digit growth, even if the food industry is not stable in the past year. It’s up and down. Fortunately, we managed to sustain growth. Most of this growth is because of our seasoning products, instant noodles and soups, as well as food service and the recently launched frozen food business, like frozen karaage and gyoza,” Ozaki told reporters.

He said they are considering increasing capacity by erecting another manufacturing plant in the country, which is being studied in three to five years.

To date, APC Group has more than 2,000 Filipino workers, a big help in producing more than 90 percent of the products that APC sells in the Philippines.

In terms of market size, Ozaki said the Philippines belongs to the top five markets in the ASEAN region, which is now dominated by Thailand.